|
Post by 65pointgame on Apr 27, 2023 20:55:28 GMT -6
Thought I would go ahead and start the thread for one of our biggest series of the season. ---------------------------
New forum member Paradeuce posted the following on the general baseball thread:
Aces could be facing dire straits if swept by the Trees, placing them among the #8 seed MVC Post-season cut-off mark.
mvc-sports.com/standings.aspx?path=baseball
Hopefully, Shallenberger's bat will be present. Although ISU starting pitching has been excellent in their current 14 game streak, I doubt they've faced a lineup w/ as many LH hitters as UE. All of ISU's #1-3 starters are RH, and their long closer's ( Cutts & Holycross) are RH's. Their top short reliever is LHer Jared Spencer.
Statistically, this should be one helluva series! Btw, a glance @ the Syc's show three (3) players from the area:
Marx (Mater Dei-reserve catcher) Brown (Central-reserve 1B; has been filling in for an injured Rivera) Miller (Boonville-#3 starting P)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks Paradeuce for the nice overview. ATP on here also adds a good breakdown of the games.
|
|
|
Post by 65pointgame on Apr 27, 2023 21:11:13 GMT -6
Maybe it is time for the Trees to cool off a bit. We are pretty resilient, so no way to expect to get swept this weekend.
Also, I feel comfortable about us easily finishing in the top 8 to qualify for the tourney. After ISU we finish with 3 series against the MVC cellar dwellers,although UIC is much better than their record shows. Murray St has a brutal final 3 weekends, it would not surprise me to see them watching the MVC tourney from home.
Weather looks good for Friday, but Saturday 40% chance of rain early in the afternoon, then Sunday is partly cloudy and windy.
Let's hope for some good baseball!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2023 8:23:58 GMT -6
Making the cutoff:
After the Sicko State series, the Aces play Bradley, Jailbird Normal and Chicago Circle ... that's probably (probably) 6 wins ... and the rest is simple math. The Aces don't have to play above their talent level to accomplish that. Not that there is a reason to look that far ahead because anybody can get swept, or sweep. These games always come down to getting outs in the last couple of innings.
There are some really good players on these teams and some of them are going to be successful professional players.
ESPN is not showing any video streaming options for this series, so not sure what that's about.
|
|
|
Post by paradeuce on Apr 28, 2023 9:53:38 GMT -6
Stumbled onto this Twitter re: a Div1 Baseball media source, talking about the ISU squad:
Re: the non-coverage by ESPN, it appears that UE has opted to cover SOFTBALL for all three (3) games. Where's the new A.D. on these decisions?
|
|
|
Post by E-Villan on Apr 28, 2023 10:15:46 GMT -6
Stumbled onto this Twitter re: a Div1 Baseball media source, talking about the ISU squad: Re: the non-coverage by ESPN, it appears that UE has opted to cover SOFTBALL for all three (3) games. Where's the new A.D. on these decisions?
I doubt it is that simple. They have a lot of promotions planned this weekend, maybe they are trying to insure they get a large crowd. Maybe someone else is broadcasting. I am sure everyone involved from the AD down is fully aware the baseball team playing a rival that happens to be in first place will draw more eyeballs than a struggling softball team.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2023 10:25:29 GMT -6
I don't know how they make those decisions. All the other Valley teams are streaming on Saturday and they have had other weekends when SB and BB were both streamed. If it's about not having an extra production team/truck, it would seem they'd have a conversation about which is more important. Perhaps the Aces want a bigger crowd at Braun this weekend and, owing to 1930s logic, if it's on TV, everyone will stay home instead. (I doubt anybody is that dense in the 21st century.)
To be fair, the baseball team gets ignored quite a lot. I am hard-pressed to find anything in my Courier on-line subscription about the Aces. Old habits die hard, I suppose. We'd rather discuss some wannabe Juco kid playing basketball in Montana than the three or four legit pro prospects on the UE baseball team.
College-level baseball is generally a notch better than Low-A ball and is easily as interesting as the Frontier League.
|
|
|
Post by E-Villan on Apr 28, 2023 10:54:31 GMT -6
College-level baseball is generally a notch better than Low-A ball and is easily as interesting as the Frontier League. Far more interesting. The college players are actually playing for championships. A Frontier League game is nothing but a 2-3 hour bierstube.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2023 11:30:12 GMT -6
College-level baseball is generally a notch better than Low-A ball and is easily as interesting as the Frontier League. Far more interesting. The college players are actually playing for championships. A Frontier League game is nothing but a 2-3 hour bierstube. I have followed indy ball up this way (Gary has a team) over the years and it's an acquired taste. If you get a stable roster, it's probably going to be a contender. But it's still a matter of it mostly being Elvis Night or some in-park promotions that are for people who come to 1 game a year and wonder when the Otters play the Cardinals.
|
|
|
Post by 65pointgame on Apr 28, 2023 12:01:12 GMT -6
In the clip about ISU baseball...he mentions they have a shortstop from Puerto Rico and another player from Venezuela. Along with the Dominican Republic, it seems these would be good areas for us to recruit. I am sure our volleyball coach could help out in recruiting Puerto Rico.
|
|
|
Post by austinace on Apr 28, 2023 15:00:29 GMT -6
Straight off the GoPurpleAces.com website:
“…Indiana State will enter this weekend's series riding the nation's longest active winning streak at 14 games. The Sycamores are 26-12 overall and 14-1 in the MVC and rank as high as #14 in the various collegiate baseball polls, as they are ranked No. 14 in the Collegiate Baseball poll...”
As others have mentioned earlier in this thread, it’s interesting that this series is not televised. First game tonight at 6 pm.
|
|
|
Post by paradeuce on Apr 28, 2023 15:40:32 GMT -6
Here's hoping that last yr's. MVC Pitcher of the Year finally goes into overdrive, and super-charges an Aces squad which for one reason or another, hasn't been capable of turning the corner this season. The talent is clearly evident,just gotta align the domino's.
***Actually was hoping that Coach Wes would move Smith into the #3 slot this weekend to see an all Boonville match up against ISU's Lane Miller. That would be cool...
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2023 16:25:53 GMT -6
Here's hoping that last yr's. MVC Pitcher of the Year finally goes into overdrive, and super-charges an Aces squad which for one reason or another, hasn't been capable of turning the corner this season. The talent is clearly evident,just gotta align the domino's.
***Actually was hoping that Coach Wes would move Smith into the #3 slot this weekend to see an all Boonville match up against ISU's Lane Miller. That would be cool...
I actually think Schultz is the ace of the staff now and, as a lefty, that's potent. He should get some serious consideration for all-conference. Denu can be pretty good when he's not fighting command but he's really the No. 3 guy.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2023 16:29:41 GMT -6
In the clip about ISU baseball...he mentions they have a shortstop from Puerto Rico and another player from Venezuela. Along with the Dominican Republic, it seems these would be good areas for us to recruit. I am sure our volleyball coach could help out in recruiting Puerto Rico. The problem with the islands is that there aren't many of them who have the academics to compete in the States. They play ball very young in the D.R., but it's not actually where you'd recruit kids for college ball. Most of them come here as NDFA players, aged 18 or 19 and it's probable that they don't even have the high school equivalent. That isn't a bash against them, but I think if you were to go recruiting in D.R., you'd not find the best ballplayers who speak English at all. You would get a better chance in Puerto Rico, but a lot of those kids have families in the Mainland.
|
|
|
Post by austinace on Apr 28, 2023 17:14:52 GMT -6
Shallenberger in the lineup is a good sign.
ISU’s pitcher seems like he has very good control with 64 strikeouts and only 11 walks in 59 innings and a 3.66 ERA. Should be a good matchup with Nick Smith on the mound for us.
Does anyone know what ISU’s strengths are? - in other words why they are doing so well. Is it more pitching (starters, relievers) or hitting or just everything? I don’t follow baseball as closely as basketball, obviously.
From what Paradeuce said above it sounds like their starting pitching might be their strength.
|
|
|
Post by paradeuce on Apr 28, 2023 17:46:43 GMT -6
Pretty sure that ISU's getting these kids from Florida Baseball Prep Schools & JC's. I umpired FHSAA ball for a decade during he 90's and you wouldn't believe how many now exist. Back in my era, Florida Air Academy in Melbourne was the #1 producer. Tuition was $40k yr...most were Puerto Rican. I have no idea where all these $$$ originated.
Looks like Smith is in his groove tonight...at the end of 4, he's got a 2-hitter w/ 45 of 58 pitches being strikes! Talk about "in the zone!" Geeesh.
|
|